Pianist Kim Ain (20) took first place at the 6th Viseu International Piano Competition, which concluded on the 12th local time in Viseu, Portugal, the Kumho Cultural Foundation announced on the 15th.
Kim Ain, a Kumho Young Artist alumnus, received both the first prize and the Audience Award. Pianist Yoo Tae-woong (27), also a Kumho Young Artist alumnus, took third place.
Kim Ain received a total prize money of 9,500 euros (approximately 15.2 million KRW) for the first place and Audience Award, along with invitations to perform at the French Animato Association and the 2026 Viseu Spring Music Festival. Yoo Tae-woong received 2,000 euros (approximately 3.2 million KRW) for third place.
The Viseu International Piano Competition is held during the Viseu Spring Music Festival. It began in 2014 and alternates annually between piano and guitar categories. It is open to performers aged 30 and under, and this year, a youth category for performers aged 17 and under was held for the first time. At the 5th competition held in 2023, pianist Seon-yul won second place and the Audience Award, and in 2019, pianist Bruce Liu, who won the 2021 Chopin International Piano Competition, shared first place.
For the 6th Viseu International Piano Competition, 27 pianists advanced to the finals through preliminary video screening. From April 8 to 11, three pianists reached the final round through the first round and semifinals. The final was held on the 12th at Teatro Viriato. Kim Ain performed Haydn’s Piano Sonata No. 60, Debussy’s Preludes, and Balakirev’s "Islamey," securing first place. Yoo Tae-woong performed Jean-Philippe Rameau’s "Gavotte and Six Variations" and Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 6, earning third place. The second place went to Portugal’s M?ximo Cl?rigon.
Kim Ain said, "It is a great honor to receive first place and the Audience Award," adding, "I will strive to further develop what I felt during the preparation and performance process of the competition." Yoo Tae-woong said, "I am happy to have achieved such a valuable result," and added, "It was a joyful time to fully focus on the music on stage and convey my heart to the audience."
Kim Ain debuted in 2018 with the Kumho Young Artist Concert. She has won first place at the Hanum Music Competition, second place at the Dong-A Junior Music Competition, second place at the Music World Competition, and second place at the Boy Korea Daily Music Competition, among other prestigious domestic competitions. In March this year, she won first place unanimously at the Ch?teau International Piano Competition held in France. She graduated from Yewon School, completed the Korea Arts Gifted Education Center, and studied under Kim Dae-jin and Yoon Yoo-jin. She is currently studying with Olivier Gardon at the ?cole Normale de Musique de Paris in France.
Yoo Tae-woong appeared on the Kumho Young Artist Concert stage in 2016. He has won first place at the Osaka International Music Competition and the Paris Music Forum Association Award, first place in the Steinway Young Musicians Support Award in Germany, third place at the Carl Filtsch International Piano Competition in Romania, first place at the Korea Liszt Competition, second place at the JoongAng Music Competition, and second place at the KBS-Kepco Music Competition, among others. He graduated from Yewon School, Seoul Arts High School, and Korea National University of Arts, studying under Kim Dae-jin and Son Eun-jung. He is currently studying under Bernd Glemser, having completed his master's degree at the W?rzburg University of Music and Performing Arts and is enrolled in the Artist Diploma program.
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